The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-03-20
THE NEW CLUB HOUSE.
FoRMAL DEDICATION LAST THURS
DAY EVENING.

yum0 k1SdemPlioHs
Jerse City may be very slow in very
many respects, but ihsre is probably nc
CITY Of it's size in the country which is pos
sessed Of so many popular clubs. Probe
bly the Oldest club in the city IS that which
flung It's banner to the breeze last Thurs
day night from the most lofty pinnacle in
4he neiehborhood of Crescent and Clinton
avenues, aud proclaimed to the world that
its elegant new CLUB house--second to none
in the Siate-wts an accomplished fact,
only nine months having elapsed since the
first brick was put into the foundation.
The Gu house is simply elegant in all its
appointments, and the plumbing, which
was done with an eye to perfect drainage.
is certainly a piece of master workman
ship. The cost of the building, cut of
which the SUNDAY MORNING NEWS has
taken pride in presenting to Its readers on
one OF two occasions, exceeded considera-
bly the first estimate. Including the fur
niture already in the building, the cost to-
day has been $32.410.75, and the final cost
will not fall far short of the $35, 600 mark.
The carpets in the building alone cost over
81 500. and are as elegant in design as they
are substantial in texture.
It was novel entertainment with which
the club house was formally thrown open
to its members last night, and be it TO the
credit of The promoters, it was as original
as it was novel. No one was allowed to
pass the threshold of the entrance without
he first satisfied the doorkeeper that he
was member. The newspaper men, of
al 1cd from rula hnt
even they were not admitted without an
invitation. The only thing that could pos
sibly have marred the pleasure of even the
most impressionable youth present was the
fact that no ladies applied. AS early as
80 the members began strolling in the
building. every room of which was stream
of light. and by $50 about $50 happy meA
from the ranks of the foremost families in
the county had gathered to witness t
bury lag of the past and the dedication of
the building. In the centre of the plat
form sat the courteous and energetic pres
ident of the club, Mr.. j. M. Tappan, with
SecretssyM cElroy at his left elbow. On the
left side of the platform, formed in semi
circle, sat the Board of Trustees Messrs.
j. G. Yourg, George Perkins, ex-senator
Brinkerhoff, Alfred Henderson, John F.
Klumpp, Samuel I. Finney, and
OAVlG II. O6Wltt. OA tAO ODDOSlb6
side of the platform sat the Building Com
mlttee. composed of Mr.. E. r. Grant,
chairman, and Messrs. Williams, Westcott,
Charles Henderson, G. H. Dickson, Elk
President johnson, Joseph Gilmour and
Mr.. Hartshorn. Occupying conspicuous
places in the left hand gallery, all dressed
Ia faultless evening attire, Were the Presi-
dents of feur other Jersey City clubs, all
more or less prominent. These were
Muirhead, of the Palma; Coffin, of the
Cartaret; Commodore Pierson, of the DER
sey City Yacht Club; Clarke, of the Hud-
son Boat Club, and Adams, of the Orion
r. d A. Association The Valencia orchestra
liscoursed sweet music, opening the pro-
gram q with splendid march, &C May and
La" composed by the Director Of the
orchestra, Mr.. j. Headden, Jr. The march
finished, Chairman Grant stepped forward
on the platform and read an exhaustive re-
port on behalf of the Commute, closing by
presenting the new house to the Board of
Trustees. Then the orchestra played an
overture, which was followed by the &C.
ceptance of the house on behalf of the
Trustees, by President Tappan. The
orchestra put the finishing touch to Part
/, by tavoring the audience with a selection
from Erminie. Within less than ten
minutes after the conclusion of Part /, all
the lights were extinguished, simultaneous
tn which chorous of beautiful voices was
heard from a distance, growing more distinct
as they approached nearer and nearer. 1t
was .sChorous of Alley boys heard singing
at Greenvllle". Presently they appeared
marching up the spring board to tue plat
form, There were fifteen of them. Each
was robed in SCrt OF monks attire, only
il was white, and each carried fiIckering
taper The four foremost of the party
lore on their shoulders a bier, enclosed
in which was the past, which was about
to be buried. Jha monk-like fifteen puz-
zle took positions on either side of The
Stage when funny Billy Vidal (the Page,
in most fantastic tight fitting attire and
with bushy wig of golden hue, usheIed
in the High Priest (Mr. George w. Y oung)
who stopped In the center of the bier,
deposited great volume on it and pro
cecded to deliver an Grafton from manu-
script, which on account of its funny
features, and the number of capital and
really witty hits it contained on different
members of the club, should be engrossed
and framed and given conspicuous place
in some Of the club rooms-the ladies
parlor, for instance. 1t was so awfully
funny tnat during its 0eliverance, lasting
over period of fifteen minutes, the great
hall fairly shook with laughter. Al the
conclusion Of the Grafton the solemn pro-
eession wendell its way back to
"Greenville" for a few moments,
when the lights were again ex-
tinguished and the monkish warblers
again appeared on the platform, taking po-
sliions as before, this time to appear in the
dedicatory service. The High Priest was
replaced by the s'God of Dedication (Mr
Q. Lee Myers, whose long white hair and
beard brought forth the query from the
funny page:
"Will you have hair cut or shaver"
At the conclusion of his remarks, the
"God of Dedication proceeded TO burn
various colored lights dedicatory of differ
ent portions of the building to different
objects, after which the representatives of
the diffarant cluhs ahnxa .za,.,